


Do what you like, you don't have to be nice. Just pour yourself a cup of coffee.

by mintyPathologist



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, M/M, coffeehousestuck
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-06-02
Updated: 2013-09-14
Packaged: 2017-12-13 17:36:25
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 2,410
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/826972
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mintyPathologist/pseuds/mintyPathologist
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Eridan becoming attached to a certain barista. The barista doesn't complain.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Talking in code

**Author's Note:**

> Intro to Do what you like you don't have to be nice just pour yourself a cup of coffee you can leave anytime. With an unnecessarily long title. An alternate Universities thing involving sollux, the barista and eridan.

He tried almost enthusiastically this time to wake up. He could hear the clock ticking, the same rhythmic tick that for no reason woke him everyday. Coming to, he looked around. Mess. Everything was a mess. Clothes, all looking ghoulishly similar. Dark. They found themselves tangeld in piles leaving pathways from where he needed to be to where he was.  
Bed, computer, bathroom. His hair would have been stylish had he found the motivation to give a shit long enough to brush it back. Reminants of sleep clung to his body. Using all of his willpower to stand and walk over to the bathroom, wishing with all of his heart he had just stayed asleep. Where it was safe. Not seeing a point in wearing more that what it took to cover what offended him he was at least clean now. Spiritually rolling to the computer he was bound to by heart, by morals, by some insecurity that kept his body in front of it. By some ghost that held his eyes to the screen. Maybe a better word was demon. Or poltergeist or some other felon that made off with his energy and stole his body.  
CA: hey sol  
CA: sol  
CA: wwhat the fuck wwhy arent you answwerin me  
TA: iim iin cla22 diipshiit  
CA: oh  
CA: wwell wwhatevver are you busy later im comin ovver okay  
TA: what? Ye2 iim workiing. That thiing pea2ant2 do remember?  
CA: ill be ovver later then  
CA: sea ya  
TA: whatever ED youre annoyiing as fuck. do what you want

Better than nothing. He looks at the screen blankly. You should be in class too. You should have woken up a long time ago.  
He thought. But the thought only brought a hot sensation in his stomach. He pulled his glasses off of his face and couldnt even bring himself to let a tear fall. Am I dead? He thought for a moment. He felt sick. He always felt sick. Like he even had an excuse. He knew what they thought. What He thought. Looking down on him for what he did and He, I was very good at acting like I didnt notice. Who is that person? That prick who had all the friends and all of the money and all of the class? Maybe it's the ghost. The same damn entitiy that has him putting on stylish clothes, finding his good glasses and painting concealer onto his face to hide the evidence. Hide the evidence hide.


	2. Everybody just wants to play the lead

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Are you making this better or worse?

“What the fuck is wrong with you? It sort of figures really.” Eridan thought almost out loud if he hadn't been in what could be considered a public place. Near school, place that was loud by design, huddled college kids who by this point in the week were trading energy drinks for vodka and 'having a good time'. Eridan sat there, watching people talk, flirt, and watch whatever sports even shone from the TVs hanging from the ceiling. Whiskey sour in one hand, cell phone in the other. Trolls and humans doing shots and smoking. He had been waiting for what seemed like all of maybe an hour. Considering sending, one, maybe two more texts. Abandonment didn't sit right with Eridan. Maybe it was his lusus issues, or his illusion of status, it could have been that he was having real feelings for the yellow blood. As it turns out it was none of those things. Or so he decided, he was just being a vengeful prick as usual.   
sollux walked thought the front door hit with the acrid tang of cigarettes, cheep alcohol and sweat. He stopped and stuffed his hands in his pockets as he gazed around the room the shock of purple hair and curved horns. He walks over sitting down in the chair opposite the high blood with a long suffering sigh. Then, "hay. sup."  
Sollux looked over at the waitress, bit out a order for his usual. She trotted off. He looked back at Eridan and ran a hand through his hair "so. you wanted to meet?"  
He half jumped hearing the voice that echoed through his head addressing him so casually outside the confines of his hallucinations. Already on what may or may have not been his second or third drink, he looked over to the once vacant bar stool. " yeah, like a fuckin hour ago. " Eridan sipped, pausing only to express his distaste. "But whatever its fine. " He lied "How was work or whatever?" Eridan gestured. There it was again. He could feel his gaze drowning in the bottom of his drink. Biting his lip, fictional nervousness.  
Sollux shrugged "I told you i was busy. Work was fine. I almost slipped ex-lax into some ass holes coffee. He was shit hive maggots." he rolled his eyes and took the drink from the waitress. "Other than that it was just peachy. Did you seriously just want to meet up to talk about my work? Because I'm blowing off a 10 page paper for you." he hissed out. The words coming out harsher than initially intended.   
The beverage burned its way down his esophagus "I didn't... jegus fuck. You ok? You look like shit." The purple blood who was in to middle of trying to chew his lip off.  
"I'm fine- just... wonderin what it really was i wanted to talk about. I mean fuck do I even need a reason? What if I want to like hang out or whatever. " mentally pacing through conclusions. Was that too forward? Was it really okay to be honest about that? He was unsure and suddenly aware of his drink being replaced. The girl who brought it giving him a smile. When did smiling back become so awkward? So difficult. Why did it feel rude... He looked over at Captor. Probably more of a glare.  
Sollux paused for a moment. Did he really need a reason just to talk? When was the last time he hung out with some one for the fun of it... no agenda just... relaxation. He took a swig and shrugged. "I guess not. I'm just not used to it." Eridan was fidgeting, purple eyes darting back and forth. Despite being against contact of pretty much any sort he found him self reaching, then touching ED's arm. "hay, you alright? look like your going to have a god damn panic attack or something." He gently squeezed the other trolls arm.  
Eridan felt his stupid ear fins twitch. "I'm fine. I've had...a lot of shit on my mind..." Like how I haven't left my house since the last time I saw you. Not out loud. What the hell was he tryin to get pale? Finishing his drink, he ordered a mojito. Something not so bitter maybe.

Sollux felt his lip witch, always getting a kick out of the other trolls ear fins. He pulled his hand back and rolled his eyes "Same. and I've had a lot of shit on my plate. " He swirled his drink around in the glass before he took another sip. He looked down at his phone and sighed. Not too good at this conversation shit. If he kept talking he would insult the ass hole and that was obviously the last thing this mopey little shit needed at the moment. But he had to try."So. do anything...interesting and less shitty then normal?"

Has anything been happening? For a while now he wasn't really here. He was floating. So if anything had happened he probably missed it. "Why are you bein so nice? I mean... have you had your energy drinks today?" He scoffed. Not really intentional. Sollux blinked and tossed back his drink. Why did he even try with this ass hat. He thought he was different then teeming masses. He was wrong and was wasting his time. The glass tapped down harder then he should have. "I was trying to be a decent troll. A concept that apparently eludes you." He got up and shoved his seat back. "I'm grabbin a smoke. " he fished around in his cargo shorts for his lighter and box of cigs as he made his way out the door trying to calm down. Damn fucking shit... why was it that ED could always crawl under his skin like that?!  
Eridan got up to follow him. He had no idea why. Eridan really didn't have time to think, defenseless before his body acted needy. "Smokin is bad for you sol. How many times do I have to tell you I mean really..." Spitting out words Sol has heard a million times. It was more of an exaggerated gesture than anything else at this point. A way to tease him maybe. Its so much easier to exist with someone to distract you.  
Sollux couldn't hide the mini grin, was this ass hat really following him? After he had snapped at him? Gotta hand it to the high blood. He walked outside and took a puff and looked over at Eridan "I know its bad for me. You think I don't? Has it ever occurred to any one who doesn't smoke that maybe smokers know exactly how fucking bad it is for them? I know that each smoke brings me that much closer to lung cancer and death. " he grins "Its like I'm controlling death... instead of letting the nebulous fucking world choose when I die I'm taking control, accepting it and enjoying the way down." Sollux blows a cloud of smoke at eridan "and its one of the only socially accepted forms of suicide. " Sollux shrugs.   
Eridan couldn't help but laugh at him. Every time he hears this he laughs. His face hurt, doing it. "I had noooo idea you were so DEEP captor. Lord of spirit oceans master of death itself!" He was laughing outside at this troll who very nearly stood him up. " Can trolls even get lung cancer? I thought that was a human thing? Or maybe its a lowblood thing-" brushing his hair back, still smirking. Yes, I am so much of a douche that the only joy I now have is in teasing the one person who still talks to me.


	3. Intermission

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thoughts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I did't forget about this, I've just been busy.

It felt like day three or maybe even day five. It was hard for him to remember the time that passed here felt like an eternity. It felt like not time, like stuck in between dimensions. Between planes of being and un-being. He didn't want to open his eyes. Refusing his consciousness, he opened one eye. Still here. He thought. He had to forget he had some kind of obligation before it was too late and guilt would stick to his gut. It was heavier than most things. Sad wasn't even something he could feel at this point. Sad. What was that? A constant state of being maybe. The base emotion. How it was, how it would be. Varying levels of distressed. How worth it was it to wake up and not see him again? How important would it be really to get up and catch his last class? Not that important. All he was learning was how to fuck up without getting caught. Maybe, some coffee wouldn't hurt.


	4. Disillusion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wait

It felt like hour, two or maybe three. Maybe even only the first half. He went up to the counter after hiding behind his computer. He was sure his horns gave him away. They were pretty recognizable. “Really ED? Really?” Captor was rolling his eyes behind his usually ridiculous 3d looking glasses. “Yeah sol I said water.” Fake expression. Fake confidence. Fake. Fake. Fake. Who was this person ordering a water at a coffee shop? Sol reluctantly shoved a cup of ice water in your direction, holding onto the cup longer than he should have. Your hands touched. In the kind of way that’s usually really annoying. The kind of way that if a stranger did it, you'd cringe. You'd look at them with disgust. The too long touching when exchanges happened that made you need to wash your hands after. But it was happening now. “Are you really here to stalk me?” He added. “Don't be so full of yourself, I'm here enjoyin writing in my blog.” He grabbed it out of his hand. “But I might be here when you're done.” 

“Then at least get a fucking coffee you douche.”   
He turned away and sat back at his computer. And, cut. Perfect performance. Maybe he was too into himself. He opened up the page he was working on. Or rather, “workin on”. It was essentially empty. There was nothing but words on the page nothing but letters and space. He decided to write that down. Occasional glances back to captor, making it too obvious he was still there. Rolling his eyes, it made him smirk.   
Sitting in the solitude of his bedroom daily made it a little unnerving to be around all of these people. Talking, drinking, breathing in each others delusions like an inhaler. At least in his room he was alone. It's not like anyone ever texts him except sol. Occasionally Vris or Kan. Fef stopped talking to him a long time ago, which was... understandable. So it was him. So it was, lonely. Not sad, just alone. He knew Sol was busy, so Eridan did his best to make it look convincing. Not messaging him for a few days, waiting half an hour to reply to messages. Calculated. The trick is, he reminded himself, to look like you're always doing something else. Pretend you aren't waiting for that message tone. Pretend you aren't checking every few minutes for someone to be online.   
“Isn't there someone else who needs harassing at work?” You're on water number four and Sol was running out of sassy comebacks.   
No, there is no one. You the only one who still talks to me. He wanted to say. It was the truth wasn't it?  
Most of what Eridan was pretending to do online was scrolling through pages of meaningless information and reading the first act of “waiting for Godot”. In between lines he heard, “Well fish boy are you coming or what?” Sollux's work shirt was slung over his shoulder, and he was holding a grande cup of probably espresso. “Did you drive?” Captor sipped and Ampora slipped his laptop into his leather case. He did. He replied, then lets go He commanded.   
Fake smirk. Fake expression. Fake distraction. Fake fake fake.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm impressed you read it thanks.


End file.
